Android and Windows phones with gorgeous displays

Sure, they may drain the battery life, especially with the brightness cranked all the way up, but you can't deny the effect of a sexy display.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The good: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus marries the power of the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS with the speed of Verizon's LTE network. The phone's beautiful screen and internal performance are top-notch.

The bad: The Galaxy Nexus lacks a slot for expandable memory, and the 5-megapixel camera isn't Samsung's best. There's no support for Google Wallet, and several Ice Cream Sandwich features take some getting used to.

The cost: $49.99 to $299.99

The bottom line: As the first U.S. phone with Ice Cream Sandwich, Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus took a coveted, solitary step forward. But once other premium handsets receive the updated Android OS, the Galaxy Nexus loses some of its competitive edge.

CNET rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)

LG Nitro HD

The good: The LG Nitro HD has a stunning 4.5-inch HD display, 1080p HD video, an 8-megapixel camera and support for 4G LTE. There's a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats.

The bad: There's a pronounced camera shutter lag on the Nitro HD, and the battery drained faster than it should have.

The cost: $79.99 to $499.99

The bottom line: With its gorgeous display, high-def everything and 4G speeds, the LG Nitro HD has what it takes to compete; however, a few flaws keep it from trampling the competition.

CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

HTC Rezound

The good: The HTC Rezound has a gorgeous 4.3-inch 720p HD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and Verizon's 4G/LTE speeds. It ships with a pair of Beats earbuds along with a Beats Audio algorithm designed to enhance audio quality.

The bad: The HTC Rezound is quite bulky and call quality could be better. The Beats Audio software can only be toggled in the Music app.

The cost: $99.99 to $199.99

The bottom line: While it may have a hefty build, the HTC Rezound's beautiful display, commendable performance, and multimedia-rich features make it a top phone for Verizon customers.

CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket

The good: The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket has a beautiful 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display along with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an NFC chip and support for AT&T's LTE network. It ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

The bad: AT&T's LTE network is only available in a few cities at the time of the Skyrocket's launch, it has a somewhat cheap, plastic feel, and you can't remove bloatware.

The cost: $99.99 to $449

The bottom line: If you live in an area that gets AT&T's LTE network, we highly recommend the powerful and beautiful Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.